MDBC: The Second Half
by Fangurl02
Summary: Years after the original MDBC... it's the daughters! Filled with crushes, first dances, and big fiasco's (of course) :) Please review!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey guys... THIS STORY IS COMPLETE! Please read on, and leave me a comment and review! Add to your list:) Working on a second instalment**

Who's Who?

Elizabeth (Lizzie) and Phoebe: daughters of Emma Hawthorne and Stewart Chadwick

Hope: daughter of Jess Delaney and Darcy Hawthorne

Megan: daughter of Becca Chadwick and Theo Rochester

Eva and David: daughter and son of Cassidy Sloane and Tristan Berkeley

Gigi and Aiden: daughter and son of Megan Wong and Simon

Berkeley

Jace Norton: son of Zach Norton and Alexis Lovejoy

Alex Dean: son of Michelle Reen and Luke Dean (completely made up)

* * *

~~~o0o~~~

Lizzie's POV

My mother, Emma Chadwick, ushers me out the door. "Don't forget this," she cries, handing me my lunch. I manage a wobbly smile and flash it in her direction.

I am too nervous about my first day of sixth grade. Middle School. I used to be excited for it, back in fourth grade, but that all changed ever since Renee came to Concord. She moved here from New York, and began to take over our school.

I snap out of my remembrance and dash for the bus, seeing it pull up in front of my driveway. "Have fun, sweetie," my mother calls, closing the door behind me. My sister, Phoebe, runs out a second later, obviously late from having spent an hour on her hair and makeup.

We get on the bus together, but the minute we get inside, she ditches me to sit with Renee. I have never let my sister know this, but it really bothers me that she is friends with Renee.

I sit down by myself, and wait for my best friend and cousin, Hope Hawthorne, to come and sit with me. Minutes later, she hops on the bus and plunks down next to me.

"Hey," she says. "Hey!" I smile. We start a conversation and my heart surges with hope. Maybe, just maybe, this year will be different. I mean, Renee hasn't said a single thing to me yet. Just as I am saying this, Renee turns to me.

"Hey Lizzie," she says with a sneer. My smile falters. "Your sister was just telling me about your wittle baby bwanket." My eyes widen. Phoebe promised to never tell anyone about that! She grins, "Hmm, should I tell everyone about it at school? Or should I get you to do my homework for one week…"

I sigh. "I'll do your homework for a week." She smiles. "I'm so glad we have an understanding!" I hang my head. Renee has been playing this little "game" with me for nearly three whole years.

Hope squeezes my hand as the bus pulls up to Walden Middle School. We get out, clutching our backpacks in our hands.

The school day is long and by the time it is over, I am ready to go home. Renee picked on me the whole time, in every class, and with her homework and my homework, it looks like I'm going to be busy for a few hours at the least.

Hope and I walk into my house and my father greets me brightly. "So, Lizzie, Hope, how was your first day of middle school?" I shrug, "It was okay, I guess." Hope nods.

If my father senses something is up, he doesn't acknowledge it; instead, he smiles and pats me on the back. My mother walks in to the foyer, wiping her hands on a dishtowel. My mother is a fabulous cook, and is probably making something delicious in the kitchen.

She smiles, "Dinner is ready girls. Come on in to the kitchen and I'll serve up some meatloaf and tell you two some wonderful news!"

My mother has piqued my curiosity, so I follow her into the kitchen, Hope trailing behind me. As she is dishing out the meatloaf, Phoebe walks into the room, texting furiously on her phone. Mother pulls out a chair for her and waits until she sits down. Then she claps her hands together.

"Girls, I have some wonderful news! Some other mom's and I got to talking after our daily coffee at Pies and Prejudice, and we have decided to start a Mother-Daughter book club! It will be just like the one I was in when I was a girl!"

She looks so thrilled at the prospect that I don't want to hurt her feelings by saying this is a dumb idea. Seriously, if Renee is there, I don't think I want to even go. But I don't say any of this, instead, I smile weakly and look at Hope.

She gives me a half shrug and looks down at her plate. Phoebe looks disgusted and starts texting madly.

I have a feeling this book club will be a total disaster.

* * *

~~~o0o~~~

Megan's P.O.V

I can't believe it. A Mother-Daughter book club? Gimme a break! I mean, I know my mom was in one and everything but the whole thing sounds pretty dumb.

"Megs, we're going to be late so hurry up," calls mom from downstairs. I quickly tie up my light brown hair and trudge down the stairs.

Mom ushers me into the car and we start driving to Eva's house, where the first dumb meeting is being held. When we arrive, my mother turns to talk to me.

"Honey, please be on your best behaviour tonight…. I know the idea of a book club may not sound so appealing, but it will get better, I promise you that much." She looks into my blue eyes and waits for me to nod.

Slowly I shake my head up and down. Looking reassured, my mom unlocks the car door and we get out. Gigi's mom's car pulls up behind us, and I crane my head to see if Aiden is in the car. Sadly, he isn't.

I frown and wait for Gigi to hop out. A minute later she does, and my mom goes and talks to her mother. Gigi runs over to where I'm standing and together we walk up to Eva's door. She opens it and we go inside. Cassidy, her mother, takes our coats, and we head into the spacious living room.

Lizzie, Phoebe, and Hope are already there, along with their mother's. I take a seat next to Gigi and the two of us start to talk. We haven't chatted for long until Mrs. Chadwick (my aunt) claps her hands together.

"Girls, we are ready to get started. So, first of all, I'd like to thank Mrs. Sloane-Berkeley for hosting our first meeting. Secondly, I want to tell you all about the first book we will be reading. The other mom's and I have decided to start with Little Women, the first book our original club read!"

I look at Gigi in shock. Little Women? Seriously? That book is like ancient! I look around the room at the other girls. Their faces pretty much mirror mine, in the fact that nobody is saying anything, and everyone looks pretty unhappy to be here.

As we sit in silence, my aunt, Mrs. Chadwick, stands up. "I suppose we should be heading to Kimball Farm then, girls. I think this meeting is over for today." She looks at us girls. "Let's all pile up into our vehicles and head there!" I stand up and grab my coat, following my mom out the door and into our silver punchbuggy.

The last thing I want is to be seen at Kimball Farm with Lizzie my super embarrassing cousin, and Hope, the Farm Girl, but I'm actually craving a strawberry cone.

Pushing all thoughts of book club and Lizzie & Hope away, I take my phone out of my pocket, put my headphones in, and tune everything out.

* * *

~~~o0o~~~

Chapter 3: Hope's P.O.V

Yesterday was one of the worst first days of school I have ever had. My mom and some other moms decided to start a Mother-Daughter book club!

And they invited Megan to join. And Phoebe. Luckily Lizzie is in it too. Phoebe, (her sister), and Megan, are both friends with Renee Reynald, the meanest, most popular girl in Walden Middle School.

I'm still thinking about yesterday as I enter the school. Suddenly, the bell rings and jolts me out of my daydream.

Shoot! I race to my first class: English, and make it in just as Mr. Dooley starts taking attendance.

"Hope Hawthorne, what, may I ask, is the reason of your semi-late appearance,?" he questions.

"Um," I stutter, "Uh, I was walking here and I kind of got stuck in a daydream. I'm sorry. It wont happen again."

He frowns slightly, and purses his lips, but marks me here nevertheless. I sigh in relief and take my seat next to Lizzie. She squeezes my hand, and I know that she sympathizes with me.

As the lesson starts, I scribble down my work furiously and get lost in grammar. I hardly hear the bell, and get lost in my next to classes as well. By the time lunch comes around, I am pretty worked out and am really hungry.

I get to a table before Lizzie and save her a spot, when I hear a voice call out my name.

"Hey Hope," says Eva. "Do you mind if David and I sit with you?" "Nope, not at all, guys. Sit down, I'm just waiting for Lizzie," I reply.

They look relieved and take seats on the other side of the table. I take a glance at them. With their dark brown hair, and twinkling grey-blue eyes, they are both knockouts.

David catches me looking at him and winks. I blush furiously and look down at my napkin. Just then, Lizzie appears, balancing a tray on one hand and an algebra textbook in the other.

"Hey everyone," she says. We chorus "hello" back. She takes a seat, and as we all start to dig into our food, another person walks up to our table. It is Aiden Berkeley, Eva and David's cousin.

He glances at a few empty chairs. "Do you mind if I sit down with you?" he asks. Wow, is he ever polite.

Lizzie nods, blushing, and he sits down. With his curly blond hair, and deep almond eyes, he is cute as well. I guess when your last name is Berkeley, it is kind of hard not being beautiful.

His sister shows up not long after and takes the last vacant seat. She smiles at us, and I smile back. Gigi may be sort-of-friends with Megan and Phoebe, but she is sometimes really nice and fun, and I don't have anything against her. Plus, her brother makes up for all the meanness in her.

We eat and chat, and by the time lunch is over, I feel like middle school is going to be a lot better with my friends.

* * *

~~~o0o~~~

Chapter 4: Eva's P.O.V

I look at Hope expectantly. I really want to sit with her. Plus, I haven't made any friends yet and nobody seemed like they wanted to sit with me.

Well, some boys did but I want to sit with a girl- someone who I can get to know and talk to. I want to have a BFF! Isn't that what middle school is about?

David is great and everything but he's my brother, for gosh sakes. As I am thinking, I hear Hope say "yes", and David and I sit down.

A while later, I see Hope looking at him. Figures! All girls stare at David because he has killer grey-blue eyes and dark hair. In other words, he's pretty good looking.

I'm used to it now. I mean, nobody is falling head over heels in love with me because I don't want anybody to.

Lizzie comes skipping up to the table with her lunch tray and some sort of textbook. Algebra maybe? Then Aiden comes up, followed by Gigi.

My cousins are super cool, and they always have the best clothes thanks to their mom, my aunt, who is a big name fashion designer.

Sometimes, Gigi gives me some stuff that her mother made an extra of. I like those times. And, they too, are both cute.

Aiden has curly blond hair and almond eyes, while Gigi has dark brown hair and sea-blue eyes. I guess the good-looking genes runs in the Berkeley family!

We eat lunch and chat, and by the time we're finished, I feel better about school already! Just as I race to put my lunch kit back in my overstuffed locker, a cute boy bumps into me.

"Uh, sorry," he says, pushing his blond hair out of his eyes. I mumble "it's okay," and run past him.

I don't care if I was being rude but I really need to get to class. I slide into my seat just as Ms. Sanborn starts attendance. She doesn't notice me and I feel relieved.

I daydream about him for a while but the rest of the class passes quickly and I jump out of my seat when the final bell rings, signaling the end of the day.

Here at Walden Middle School, our day ends at 2:00. We make up for the lost time on Fridays, where school goes until 4:00. I rush home and race to get to the rink. My lessons will be starting soon and coach gets super mad if I am late.

Luckily, I get there on time and lace up my skates in a jiffy. I step onto the ice and glide away.

* * *

~~~o0o~~~

Chapter 5: Gigi's P.O.V

I really really love my mom. She is the best at fashion and presents when it comes to kids.

Take right now, for example. She hands me a slim package. I gently pry open the paper and find a laptop!

"Thanks mom!" She smiles and says," Gigi, when I was your age, my mom didn't let me pursue my dream of becoming a fashion designer. I'm not going to stop you or Aiden from pursuing your dreams, whatever they may be. A computer is a great start to whatever."

She gestures towards the laptop. "Why don't you try out your new device while your father and I start supper?"

I nod and look down at the shiny white rectangle. I have barely begun setting everything up when Aiden barges into the room.

"Hey! How come mom and dad bought you a computer?" I shrug, but I can't help smiling a little bit. He flops down on the sofa dramatically.

"I can't believe it. Me, their firstborn son, and they give it you, the measly second child?" Now I'm grinning. I can tell Aiden isn't mad, because, unlike me, he has the very new IPad Pro with a shiny gold backing.

After a while, he leaves the room and I settle down to go on Polyvore. As I'm making a set, I think. I can't believe mom and I have to go to some stupid book club.

I mean, I like Megan and Lizzie and Hope and Eva and Phoebe, but books aren't really my thing. And, I could be at the mall or even maybe hang out with Jace Norton, the cutest guy in sixth grade. (Or at least I think so.) But I guess book club will be okay.

My mom told me about stuff that she did and going to New York and London sounds pretty fun. Not to mention that giant fashion show they did back when they were in seventh grade!

I am jolted out of my daydream when dad calls me for supper.

"Luv, please come to supper," he shouts. I quickly close my laptop and race Aiden to the table. I lose, but he is nice about it for once and doesn't laugh at me.

I inhale the sweet smell of roasted beets and dig in.


	2. Chapter 2

~~~o0o~~~

Lizzie's POV

I smile as big as I can and head towards Eva, David, Gigi, and Aiden.

I was hoping this morning that maybe the second week of school would be better than the first but no such luck.

Megan and Phoebe and Renee bugged me all morning, and on top of that, Hope was home sick today.

She has a very bad whooping cough.

As I am nearing the table, Eva calls out to me. "Hey Lizzie! Come sit with us!" I grin at her, the first grin of the day, and slide into the last empty seat next to Aiden.

Even though he is in the grade above us, he is super nice and chooses to sit with his little sister.

Today, a guy I don't know is sitting on his other side.

He must see me staring at him because he smiles and says, "Hey, I'm Nick. Aiden and I are on the baseball team together."

I nod and introduce myself.

Just as I dig into my sandwich, I see Renee approaching through the corner of my eye. "Hey Aiden," she coos. "I saw you at the baseball game last Saturday. You played sooo well!"

He nods. "Uh, thanks Renee."

She turns to David, "OMG David. I saw you skating around the rink last Tuesday. You were awesome! I also like how you were hitting that round thing."

Before he has a chance to answer, I butt in.

"It's called a puck, Renee. David was hitting around a puck."

"Oooh!" Nick crows. "Renee just got dissed by Lizzie!"

I shrug, as Renee's face turns pink from blushing.

"Yeah, Lizzie," she retorts, "Well, you shouldn't be talking. Or else I'll tell everyone that you still sleep with a baby bwanket. Oh wait. I just did!"

She turns on her heel and walks away.

I feel my face start to flame and rush out of the cafeteria as I hear people snicker all around me.

I race to the bathroom and lock myself in a stall.

I've just begun to shed some tears when Eva and Gigi come rushing in.

"Lizzie, are you in here?" Asks Eva. I let out a little whimper and the two rush over to my stall.

"Lizzie," says Gigi softly. "Renee doesn't really mean to be so terrible to you. It's just become a bad habit."

I gape at the stall door. Renee does mean it, and I know it. She does everything on purpose, I just don't know why.

The rest of my day is a total failure and by the time school ends I am ready to sob into my pillow.

* * *

~~~o0o~~~

Megan's P.O.V.

I look at my homework. It stares back at me, the questions taunting me. I cannot do math! That's more Hope's thing not mine.

My mom calls me and I jump out of my chair. "Megan, honey! We're going to be late! Please hurry up!"

I roll my eyes and turn to my closet.

Tonight we are going to a Mother Daughter Book Club Celebration to get to know one another better. Our families are all invited.

Personally, I think it sounds stupid, but, I am hoping Aiden and David will be there.

Since that is a possibility, I rifle through my closet, looking for the perfect outfit.

After fifteen minutes of searching, I decide on a cream cropped sweater, dark leggings, and cream coloured ankle boots. I quickly add a necklace and twist my hair into a loose high bun.

My mom hollers up the stairs again, and as I finish applying my mascara, I grab my phone and run down the stairs.

"Geez, Megs! Couldn't you have been a little faster?" my mom says.

I shrug, but smile as I see her eyeing my outfit with a nod of approval.

My mom has always been my fashion idol. Her and Mrs. Wong-Berkeley, that is.

We get into the car and head out to "Koi Gardens and Karaoke," the place we are meeting up at.

As we pull up, I spot the Chadwick's white BMW pull up. I smile. Phoebe will be here too!

My smile falters as I see her sister step out. Unlike Phoebe, Lizzie is majorly uncool and it will ruin my rep if I am seen with her.

We get out of our punch buggy and my mom starts chattering away with Phoebe's mom.

I grab her arm and pull her into the restaurant, leaving Lizzie standing there like a stray dog.

Inside, I spot Gigi and my heart leaps. Maybe Aiden is here too!

Sure enough, I spot him a little farther away, checking out the koi with David.

OMG David is here too! I drag Phoebe over and I say hi. "Hi Aiden!" I say. "Uh, hey!" he says. I give him one of my best smiles and walk away.

I turn to look at him shyly a second later but am disappointed to find him looking at Lizzie!

Lizzie!? I explode inside. She is the most uncool cousin ever! Phoebe is way better than her, so why is Aiden staring at her!

I turn to express my disgust to Phoebe and for the rest of dinner we whisper and glare at Lizzie, who looks puzzled and hurt.

Afterwards, when it is time for karaoke, I partner up with Phoebe. I look to see who Aiden has partnered with, and it turns out to be Lizzie!

My mouth drops open: I can't help myself! That brat!

I glare at her as she and Aiden rifle through the songs.

Phoebe watches me, a sympathetic look on her face.

I sneer. "I don't need sympathy, Phoebe. I need to get even." Her look falters and she smiles at me.

I nod and turn back towards Aiden and Lizzie. They are smiling at each other and holding a CD. I flounce away in anger.

* * *

~~~o0o~~~

Hope's P.O.V.

I look over to where Lizzie and Aiden are. Personally, I think they are very cute together.

Right now, I see them smiling at each other and holding a CD.

My gaze shifts for a second, and I see Megan glaring at Lizzie.

A second later, she flounces away, looking really mad. I walk over to where the two are standing and start talking.

"Wow, Megan looks really mad," I say. Aiden looks at me. "Really, I never noticed," he says, looking a bit pink in the face.

Lizzie trembles a little bit. "Oh no! Why do you think she was mad?"

I hesitate. If I say the truth, will I embarrass Lizzie?

The silence is killing me. I tug on Lizzie's arm. "Can I talk to you for a sec?" She nods.

Aiden nods too. "Uh, sorry, Aiden, but I really need to talk to Lizzie for a little bit. She'll be back in no time so you guys can sing."

He nods, and looks down at the ground.

I pull Lizzie into the little bamboo grove.

"I think I know why Megan is mad," I say, staring into Lizzie's brown eyes. Her eyes flicker in recognition.

"B-b-b-ut," she stutters. "It's not, I'm not, he's not, we're not."

I stop her with a wave of my hand. "I know, I know, but it sure looked like something to Megan. Are you sure nothing is up with you and Aiden?"

She looks down, her cheeks turning pink.

I try and smother a grin. "Ok, whatever you say," I smile.

Turning away from her, I walk out of the bamboo grove and back into the restaurant. She follows me.

I scan the crowd for Aiden, and spot him not too far away, sitting at a decorated table, sipping a drink.

He notices Lizzie and I and gets up from his seat.

He walks over. "Are you two done chatting?" he asks.

"Yeah," I say. Lizzie nods.

He turns to look at her. "I think they've started karaoke, want to go join everyone?"

She smiles and nods, and doesn't look back at me as she walks away with Aiden.

I frown. Lizzie never forgets about me! Suddenly feeling really lonely, I sit down at one of the decorated tables and nibble on a sushi roll.

I listen to the crowd chattering for a bit, then decide to go and find my friends.

Getting up from the table, I walk into the karaoke room.

Inside, I find my friends and family.

On the small stage are Lizzie and Aiden.

"Hi everyone!" Aiden says. "Today, Lizzie and I will be singing I Really Like You."

I try to force a smile, but it just wont come. Lizzie isn't even looking at me.

As the music swells, I sit down next to Gigi and try to shove away a little tear that is forming in my eye.

* * *

~~~o0o~~~

Eva's P.O.V

I look around the crowded karaoke room until my eye lands on Hope. She looks miserable!

I see her looking at Lizzie wistfully. Have they had a fight?

I turn to David, who is sitting next to me. "I'll be back, ok. Im just going to go see if Hope is okay."

He looks at me quizzically. "Why? Is something wrong with her?"

I shrug. "I don't know, but I guess I'll find out."

He nods and turns to look back at Aiden and Lizzie.

My gaze shifts briefly towards them. They do make a kind of cute couple I guess.

Is that what Hope is all upset about?

I don't honestly know. Boy-girl stuff is really confusing for me.

As I walk up to Hope, Aiden and Lizzie finish their song.

The crowd goes wild. Everyone stands up and starts clapping. Hope sees me standing a little bit away from her table and starts to wave.

I wave back. She seems really nice. I walk over to her table. "Hey."

She smiles at me. I smile back. "What's up with Lizzie," I ask, probably seeming rather nosy.

Hope looks at me. "To be honest. I don't really know! It all happened so fast! I mean, look at Aiden and look at her. I'm kind of forgotten right now, I guess."

Hope shrugs and looks at me sheepishly. I smile at her in encouragement and finally she spills.

"Well, Im trying to be supportive and everything but I mean, its just not working. On the outside Im cool and collected but on the inside im feeling very left out."

I pat her back. "I know how you feel. Do you want to hang out with David and I for a while to maybe clear your mind for a bit?"

She smiles, and I tug her along until we reach David. He is now with our cousins, Gigi and Aiden.

I put a smile on my face and urge Hope to do the same. She does, and I begin to talk.

"Hey guys! What's up? Great singing Aiden, where's Lizzie?" He blushes when I say this, and I know I've hit a sweet spot. "Uh, she's around here somewhere, I guess," he mumbles.

I smile. "We were thinking of playing a game of Truth or Dare, wannna play?" David asks.

I nod, and look at Hope expectantly. She smiles and nods as well.

We go scout out a couple of tables and sit down.

"Ok. Who wants to go first?" David grins at us, waiting for one brave soul to speak up.

"No volunteers come on guys!" I finally speak up.

"Ok. David. Truth or Dare?" His eyes pop open. "Awww, I didn't mean me you dummy."

I grin. "Truth or dare?" He gives in and sighs.

"Truth." I look around the table for any suggestions on a great question.

Finally I come up with one. "If you could choose to date either Hope or Megan, who would you choose?"

He starts blushing madly.

Hope shoots daggers at me with her eyes.

"Uh, well, Hope, I guess." He mumbles just under his breath. Hope didn't even hear him.

"Say it louder David," I say, grinning like the Cheshire cat.

"HOPE," he practically shouts, getting fed up with me.

Hope hears this time, and turns a bright shade of red. "Uh, thanks," she murmurs.

I smile. "Ok, who wants to go next?"

David regains his composure and says, "I'll choose. After all, it is my turn now to ask someone."

I nod, and let him talk. "Ok," he says.

"Aiden. Truth or Dare?" Aiden looks a little taken aback, but then grins and says, "dare."

David thinks for a second, but quickly starts to say," ok, then. I dare you to go and tell Lizzie's mom that you are in love with her daughter."

Aiden pales, looks at the floor, bites his lip, and looks up.

His brown eyes look cold. He glares at David, who is smiling like I was a few minutes ago.

Just as I'm starting to think Aiden won't go through with the dare, he gets up and walks towards Emma Chadwick, Lizzie's mom.

I sneak forward and hide behind the bamboo grove trying to listen to the conversation exchange.

"Um, hi Mrs. Chadwick." I hear Aiden say quietly.

"Listen, I really like your daughter, Lizzie." I peek between two stalks, and catch a look at Mrs. Chadwick's face. It twists into a smile, and she begins to laugh. Aiden blushes and looks at the floor. "Why, honey!" She exclaims. "Why don't you go tell that to Lizzie, not me! I'm just her mother. Don't worry about asking me first. You go ahead and date her. You have my permission." Aiden looks confused, but mumbles a thank-you and walks away to where the rest of the group is sitting. I dart back, but he's too quick for me. "EVA WERE YOU SPYING ON ME?" he exclaims. I nod, and slip into my seat. "Just for that," he says, "I'm going to ask you next. Truth or Dare?" I roll my eyes. "Dare." His face screws up into an evil smile. "Are you sure you don't want truth?" someone asks from across the table, obviously noting his facial expression. I shake my head. Aiden won't do anything too mean, will he? I wait and wait until finally he looks at me and sets his hands down on the table. "I dare you to go and steal a koi from the fish pond." My eyes pop open. "Please no! Please no!" I beg, clasping my hands together. "A dare is a dare," David notes, and grins at Aiden. I groan but anxiously creep up to the pond. People are standing all around it and I silently hope that they won't notice one fish missing. I lean forward, as though I am examining the fish and sneakily push my hand underneath the surface of the water. I glance around and don't meet the eyes of anybody. Looking back down, I wait until a koi brushes up against my palm and then grasp it. It wriggles around for a second and I am afraid that it is going to swim away. Clutching it tighter, I pull it out from the pond and run back to the table. "Sick!" Aiden cries. "Wow, Eva," someone says. "That was pretty skilled." I look around and notice that Jace Norton has joined the table. "Oh, uh, hey," I say, slightly taken aback. Why is he here? "My parents, my friend, and I, were eating here and I noticed you guys. I thought I'd come and say hi," Jace says casually. I nod and drop the koi fish on the table. Suddenly a guy with blond hair sidles up to the table. I can't believe it! It's the guy who bumped into me that day when I was late to class. I close my eyes for a second and then open them again. "Hey. Who are you?" I ask, hoping my tone wasn't rude. The mystery guy looks around the table and points to Jace. "I'm Alex, Jace's friend." The group nods approvingly. I am still looking at him until David begins to talk. "So, are we continuing with Truth or Dare?" Jace grins. "We're in."

* * *

~~~o0o~~~

Gigi's P.O.V

I sneak a glance over at Eva. Her face is slightly blushed and she looks taken aback. Maybe it's because of Jace: after all, he is the hottest guy in sixth grade. Or maybe it's his friend: Alex. Both have creamy blond hair and piercing blue eyes. Come to think of it, they could almost be brothers. I am jolted out of my observations when Eva waves her hand in front of my face. "Earth to Gigi," she says. I blink and she laughs. "I said…. It's your turn for truth or dare!" I smile at her. "Bring it on." She looks around the table. "Who want's to do truth or dare for Gigi?" I bite my lip nervously. I really don't want a dare like Aiden's or a truth like Eva's. Finally, Jace finally speaks. "I'll do one." He grins in my direction. "Gigi, truth or dare?" I flash him a coy smile and say, "dare." He nods and pauses to think. I cross my fingers, hoping that it won't be something too bad. "Ok. I'm going to choose a guy and you have to kiss him." I gape at him. "Excuse me?" He laughs and the rest of the table starts laughing too. I roll my eyes and say, "ok, so who do you pick?" His smile grows wider. "Me." I feel almost faint as my lips brush his cheek. I blush and draw away. He looks at the ground. There is an awkward silence. Then, every boy at the table, including my own brother, starts to laugh. "Guess they're boyfriend and girlfriend now, " singsongs Aiden. I glare at him and kick him under the table. He winces and tries to kick me back. I don't feel anything but then notice that David is frowning. "Who kicked me?" He asks, his face stony. Aiden looks sheepish. I laugh and quickly turn everyone's attentions back to Truth or Dare. "Ok, since I did my dare, does it mean that I get to do it to someone else?" Eva nods. I look around the table until my eyes rests on Alex. I ask and he chooses truth. "Alex. Which girl do you think is the prettiest in sixth grade?" He frowns, as though he is thinking but quickly produces an answer. "Eva," he replies, blushing as red as a tomato. The boys start to tease him and I groan. They are so immature! Eva looks sort of annoyed but flattered. Alex recovers quickly and glances at Eva.

"Well, is it my turn to ask someone now?" I nod quickly and gesture for him to do it fast before the boys start to roll off their chairs. "Jace, truth or dare?" Jace pauses from laughing and replies, "dare." Alex starts to smile an evil smile and whispers something in Jace's ear. Jace pales and mimics throwing up. I tap Jace's shoulder. "What did he just say to you?" Jace grimaces. "He wants me to go to Megan and ask her if she wants to dance with me." I almost burst out laughing but instead only let out a giggle. Megan will literally die and think she's gone to heaven if Jace did that! He shoots daggers at me with his stare and I finally crack. I burst out laughing, and in doing so, get the whole table curious. Alex finally tells everyone and they start laughing. Jace looks absolutely disgusted. "No way, dude," he tells Alex. "Megan is friends with Renee, and I draw the line at that. Renee is awful, and Megan is as clueless as she is." Alex mouths something at the rest of the table and I see what he is silently saying. He holds up two fingers, one at a time, and as he raises the third, we all shout, "A dares a dare!" Jace scowls. "Fine. I'll do it. But if anybody takes my picture or posts something on instagram, I swear that I will get back at you." He slowly pushes out his chair and huffs off. I watch the cutest guy in sixth grade walk away into the crowd, and lean back into my chair.


	3. Chapter 3

~~~o0o~~~

Lizzie's P.O.V.

I am in the bathroom.

The stall smells and the room is hot but I am alone and that's really all I want at this point.

After I sang karaoke with Aiden I realized I made a mistake. I shouldn't have sung with him, he probably doesn't even like me.

I flush the toilet and wash my hands at the sink. I run my fingers through my blonde-brown hair and wipe the tears from my eyes.

"Why the tears, huh? Did Aiden dump you?" I whip around to find Megan standing there. "Right after you sang together, he ditched you, didn't he."

I nod and start to sob right in front of my mean cousin. She glances at me sympathetically. "You know who he went to, though. Me." She flips her hair and reapplies her makeup at the sink next to mine.

Tears gush down my face. He went for Megan?

Without even saying a word to her, I angrily swipe at the tears and head out of the bathroom. I look around the restaurant for Hope and find her sitting at a crowded table with a bunch of our friends and family.

They seem to be having a really fun game. On a second glance, I notice that Jace is there with them, along with a boy who looks like he could be related to him.

I eagerly wave at Hope, longing to talk her about Aiden, but she returns my wave with a frosty stare. I look away, hurt and confused. She can have all the fun she wants. Without me.

* * *

~~~o0o~~~

Megan's P.O.V.

I flounce out of the bathroom, proud of my little chat with Lizzie.

She deserved it anyways for messing with me.

I turn the corner and practically run into Jace Norton. He smiles at me, although I'm positive it looks sort of like a grimace, and asks me something under his breath.

"Will you dance with me?"

I nod and latch onto his arm, a smile floating onto my face.

"Of course!"

He leads me over to a spot just as the restaurant manager announces that the KoiKoi Dance Party is starting. I wrap my arms around Jace and let him lead me around.

The music swells and my heart goes with it. Just wait until I rub this in Lizzie's face.

He swirls me over until we reach a grouping of tables.

Someone in the background starts snickering and soon, a bunch of flashes go off.

My eyes spring open, and I finally see them. Hope, Aiden, Gigi, Eva, David, and a guy I don't know. All laughing.

I look around to see what they are laughing at but can't spot anything out of the ordinary. Maybe they're laughing at me! I check my feet to make sure no toilet paper is stuck. There isn't any.

I take one of my hands off of Jace's shoulder and run it through my hair. My fingers graze my face, and I double check my lipstick job, even though I know it is perfect.

"Jace," I whisper. "Is there anything on my face?" He shakes his head, and swirls me around once again. Satisfied that the group is not laughing at me, I place my hand back on his shoulder and close my eyes.

Suddenly, he starts spinning me faster and faster until I lose my balance. As I topple over, he trips too, and sends me flying towards the ground. At last minute, I look down and see water.

Seconds later, I am sitting in the koi pond, camera's flashing all around me.

* * *

~~~o0o~~~

Hope's P.O.V.

That was literally the best thing that has happened this whole dinner. Megan fell into the Koi Pond!

I whipped out my IPhone and snapped a photo of her with a koi on her head and a sour expression.

It all happened so quickly! Jace started spinning her faster and faster and all of a sudden she tripped, and then he tripped, and she went flying into the pond. He is still sitting on the ground next to the Koi Pond laughing his head off.

Gigi get's up from the table and walks over to Jace. She whispers something angrily to him and he gets up. He says something back to her and they both smile.

They both come back to the table and sit down in their respective seats.

"Ok. She tripped me!" Jace cries. "I swear I didn't push her in on purpose," he grins, "but it was pretty funny." Everyone laughs, even Gigi, who probably is worried about Megan.

As we are all laughing, I remember Lizzie. She left me, and then all of a sudden she was waving and smiling at me. When I glared at her she looked so hurt. I honestly don't know why, when she was the one who forgot me.

Someone hollers my name, and I look up, surprised. It's Jace. "Hope, are you still playing Truth or Dare?" I nod. "Ok then, truth or dare?" I think for a moment, weighing out the options.

If I choose dare, then I could end up doing something I'll regret forever, but if I choose truth I'll have to spill secrets to everyone. I finally go with truth.

Jace looks slightly amused, as though something is secretly funny and nobody else knows about it. Eva and Gigi clutch my arms, waiting to hear what the truth will be.

Alex, David, and Aiden all whisper things to Jace, until they finally come up with something.

"Who was your first kiss?" I purse my lips. This is so embarrassing!

To be truthful, it was my cousin James in preschool, but that doesn't really count, does it.

Then there was that second time… Just as I muster up the courage to say who it was the second time, my mom sidles up to the table.

"Hey kids," she says cheerfully. "It's time to go now. Everyone is feeling pretty tired and you all have school tomorrow." She checks her silver watch. "Look at the time! It's already 10:30."

Everyone starts to head to the entrance, and as we are doing so, Jace steps towards me.

"You never said who it was, Hope. I can keep a secret you know. We'll talk about this later." With that, he waves goodbye and heads back to his own family, Alex in tow.

I grab a mint on the way out and sleepily munch it in the car. I wonder what Jace meant.

~~~o0o~~~

Eva's P.O.V.

Ugh! I'm so tired! I didn't go to bed until 11:00 last night and today, waking up is just awful. I have exactly five minutes to get ready or else my dad will leave to work without me.

I slip in to my Walden Uniform and put on my favourite pink keds. I run down the stairs and grab a bagel on the way out.

My dad is sitting at the wheel of our station wagon, and he smiles as I swing open the door of the car.

"Eva, it's ok. You can slow down! David isn't even here yet!" I breathe a sigh of relief and he turns to look at me.

Suddenly my mom flings open the garage door and yells something.

"Tristan! Leave without David. He is not feeling well." My dad brushes a small chunk of his brown hair out of his eyes and says, "ok. Text me if he feels better!" My mom blows him a kiss and we start to pull out of the driveway.

"Wonder what your brother is up to," dad grins at me. He and I both know that whenever David misses school for any reason he is planning something.

It could be good or bad, depending on the circumstances. To be completely honest, I'm surprised that mom hasn't found out yet. After all, she told us about all the pranks she pulled when she was our age.

I guess David is pretty good at it though. Last time, mom and dad's thirteenth wedding anniversary was coming up and David secretly planned this fancy dinner at our house: flowers, band, and everything. That week, he stayed home from school for exactly two days, complaining of a stomachache.

There was also a time when he secretly planned a school revolt, but that was stupid. He called in sick for one day, and the next day came back with a bunch of giant "Free the Children" posters, led everyone in a freedom march, and protested against the uniforms. The principal got really steamed, and let's just say that David isn't exactly in her good books anymore.

I'm kind of excited to see what he will do this time, and I can tell that my dad is, too. He has always said that sneakiness and rebellion were two qualities about mom that made him fall in love with her, and he has always been pretty lenient about things like that.

As we pull up to the school, I notice my friends standing in a big group. Thanking my dad, I grab my backpack and blow him a kiss as I scramble out of the car. He honks the horn and drives off.

"Hey Eva!"

I look over and spot Alex, sitting on a bench, his Walden Middle School Sweater draped over his shoulder.

"Oh hey!" I smile and wave, then gesture towards my group of friends. Alex looks disappointed for a second but the look passes and he casually nods and leans back into the bench.

I try not to think about this as I greet my friends.

"Eva! Where's David?" Aiden asks. I quickly fill in my friends about the David situation. Laughter fills the air, and I smile. Life is good. I finally have a close group of friends at Walden and we can stick together. Maybe we will even become as good friends as my mom is with hers.

As we are standing around chatting, I spot Renee a few benches down. She is whispering with Megan and the two don't look happy. They spot our group and glare, making irritated gestures with their hands.

Megan nudges Renee and she walks forward, the heels of her boots clicking on the pavement.

"Hey losers," Renee says to us. "I heard what Jace did to Megan last night. But we all know that it wasn't his fault, was it. I know one of you lame-o's did it. You better watch it." With that, she turns on her heel and sashays back to Megan.

I glare at her retreating form. Renee always knows what she wants and in the end, she always gets it.

~~~o0o~~~

Gigi's P.O.V

I stare at the note Megan has passed me. _Ditch the losers. Come on Gigi_! I sigh and look down at my lap.

I had so much fun at the Japanese restaurant last night, playing Truth or Dare with the so-called "losers." I really don't want to have to make this choice.

The truth is, I really like Renee and Megan. They understand me and like what I like.

But I really like the crew. I like hanging out with them, and I like that Jace is a part of it. I sink further into my chair and try and focus on my math text. I push all thoughts of choosing sides out of my mind and start scribbling equations furiously.

Aiden stares at me blankly. The whole crew stares at me blankly.

"I'm really sorry, guys, but I have to do this right now."

"So basically, you're ditching us for Renee," whispers Lizzie, her face all sad looking.

"Uh no," I say back. "I have to be friends with them right now. For my own reasons." They continue to stare at me. I knew they would be angry with my choice.

The thing is, I really need Renee and Megan. We were planning on choosing dresses for the upcoming dance together and nobody knows fashion better than Renee. Except for my own mother of course. After the dance, I can go back to being friends with the crew. I'll even put aside Jace for a while.

Aiden huffs. "Well, Gigi, I hope you're happy." With those words, everyone turns and walks away, leaving me standing alone in the middle of the cafeteria.

"Wow, you really messed up," my mom says, after I have ranted to her about all my problems. Then she smiles gently.

"You, know, Gigi, if that had happened to me when I was your age, I probably would have done the same thing." She pats my hand. "Things will work out, though, you'll see." I nod, and look down at my hand on the table.

I sure hope it will because right now, everyone hates me.


	4. Chapter 4 (read the authors note!)

**A/N: So, guys, I'm here to apologize to you all. The format of this story was originally in a word document on my computer and whenever I try to copy and paste into the site it always changes it up. So I again apologize for the weird, clumpy layout. I know these chapters may seem short, but it actually took me a long time to write it all lol. And I will remind you all that it is a completed book, but I am very sorry for the errors it may have. Second thing: I want to dedicate a special one-shot to a special reader! How to Enter: Comment your name and your favourite character and scene in the book so far:) I'll choose a winner by next Friday, EST, and will create a one-shot specially for them that will be published either within this book or separately. You can always find my stuff on my profile:) Lastly, I want to know your thoughts on anything, and everything. I'm a very chatty person, so feel free to DM me anytime: for advice, to talk books, or to just discuss life! I'll be here, and I'll try to be better at updating... because now the site is sending me emails to notify me whenever someone comments or its been a while since I've posted. Sorry for the long wait, guys! Oh, and jsyk, I'm currently working on a sequel to this book:)) Thanks for reading this stupidly long authors note, y'all:)) xx, Fangurl02**

 **P.S. The total word count for this book is 17, 121! (For anyone who's interested) I wrote it about two years ago, so please excuse my mistakes haha..**

o0o

Lizzie's POV

I can't believe Gigi ditched us for the B Crew! Renee and Megan? Come on! They are just queen bees: noisy, gossipy, and full of honey to attract boys. It just doesn't make sense. She seemed to be having such a great time with us and now she suddenly leaves. I even talked to Aiden about it. He doesn't understand either. I thought for sure that he would know! I mean, he is her brother and all. But he didn't, and now I'm doubly confused. Hope and I finally made up after she explained to me about how she felt left out. I totally behaved like a jerk and my best friend shouldn't be put aside for any boy, even one I may or may not happen to like. I roll over on my stomach and reach for my book. As I am doing so, my phone rings, and I answer it.

"Hello?" "Hello," says a male voice from the other end of the line. My heart starts beating a little bit faster. "Uh," I stutter, wondering if this is Aiden. My question is answered when the voice replies a minute later. "Lizzie? This is Aiden… do I have the right number?" I smile to myself. "Oh haha! Yeah you do. Sorry, I don't have you in my contacts." He laughs and says, "well now you do." Then his tone turns serious. "Listen… I talked to Gigi, and the real reason why she left us is that she needs the B Crew's advice on clothing for the upcoming er, dance. Then she will ditch them." I listen thoughtfully. That seems pretty fair to me. Its kind of sneaky, which I admire because I am a real stickler for obeying the rules. "Ok, Aiden, here's what we've got to do. We have to get the whole crew to go to the dance together and show your sister that our fashion sense is as good as the B Crews." There is a long pause. Then, he speaks again. "Wow, Lizzie, that's a really good plan. Let's do it! See you tomorrow?" I grin, and say, "Absolutely. See you tomorrow." I hang up, my heart beating a little bit faster.

I look around the crowded halls for Hope. I find her leaning against a locker door. Strangely enough, it's not her door. I shrug and tap her on the shoulder. She spins around, a surprised look on her face. "Oh, hey Lizzie!" She smiles at me. "I have a plan," I whisper to her surreptitiously. She nods and waits for me to continue. "Ooh! That sounds great!" She exclaims when I finish. "I've never been to a dance before… but I guess it would be sort of fun to glam up a bit. I spend quite a lot of my time with my grandparents at the farm and it isn't really the most fancy place, if you know what I mean." I nod, and smile at her, "Then this will be perfect. I just have to get the boys interested." She rolls her eyes. "Lizzie. That's going to be tough." I laugh, and we head to our first class.

Apparently, Hope was right. Getting boys to go to a dance is like trying to fit your feet into really small shoes that you've had since Kindergarten. They just don't fit with each other. Boys just don't like dances. I stare at Aiden from across the table. "Help me," I mouth to him. "What do you want me to do?" He mouths back. I roll my eyes and look at David, Jace, and now Alex. The cafeteria is crowded and noisy, and nobody seems to be paying me any attention except for Hope and Aiden. Gigi is off with Renee, Megan, and my lame-o sister Phoebe, and Eva is chattering with David, Jace, and Alex. I knock on the table really loudly and finally everyone turns to look at me. "Guys," I start. "I've come up with a plan. It involves the dance." Literally every guy at our table groans. "I know, I know, you all hate dances, but this is important. Do we want Gigi back or not?" Jace starts to nod, then quickly stops. I catch his eye and grin. "Ok, so we do want Gigi back. Then here's what we have to do. We have to go to the dance looking like a million bucks, ok? It's red carpet themed so I want boys in tuxes and girls in gowns." The table is quiet for a second then they start clapping. "Wow, Chadwick, I didn't think you'd come up with a plan like that!" Crows someone, probably David. I look down and blush. My voice is starting to be heard!

o0o

Megan's P.O.V

Phoebe tugs my hand, and together we go laughing into the next room. Everyone from the mother daughter book club is here gathered tonight in my house, and my mom and the other moms are busy chatting it up in the living room. Phoebe and I decided to ditch and try and find the boys, because our mom's are literally so boring. I take a quick glance back into the crowded room, though, and spot all the other girls laughing and braiding each other's hair. I feel a pang of regret, but I quickly brush it aside and look around hastily for Gigi. I spot her, leaving the braid train and moving towards us. "Hey Megs!" She calls brightly. "Oh, uh, hi," I say, grateful that she spoke first. "So listen. Do you want to come up to my room now and see what dresses I have and make a list of what things we need to go shopping for?" She nods excitedly. I wave her in the direction of my room and she runs up the stairs. I follow behind, envying her simple lemon sheath dress and the way it perfectly fits her body.

"OMG this dress would look perfect on me, don't you think?" Phoebe hugs a baby pink A-line dress to her chest. It really does seem to match her hair, which is a silky blond. "Of course, Pheebs," says Gigi, not really paying attention. I rifle through my dresses, looking for a perfect one to wear to my very first dance. I still haven't been asked yet, but if all else fails, I'll always have my Fab Four to go with me. The mom's have always called us that, and so far, we don't seem to mind. Renee loves it, which is a bonus. She is always unhappy at us for some reason or another, so when she is happy, it means we all don't get short ends of the sticks. I pick up a dreamy chiffon number and tap Phoebe. "Look! This is what I am going to wear! I bought it last week. It's a Kate Spade." Phoebe nods, in awe. "Gigi! Come look at the dress Megan found!" Gigi pops her head up and takes a peek at my dress. "Love it!" I smile. A compliment from Gigi is exactly what I needed. Now, I just need Renee's approval…

"Megan!" My mom hollers up the staircase. "Book club is starting! Where are you, Phoebe, and Gigi?" I roll my eyes. My mother can be so annoying sometimes. "I'm upstairs, be right down!" Gigi glances at me. "We, uh, better go. I had fun, though," and with that, she heads down the stairs. Phoebe and I trail behind her, gripping the banister for support as we totter in the heels we are trying out. We open the living room door to find all the mom's and rest of the girls eagerly discussing something, probably lame old Little Women. "Ah, glad you could join us finally," my mom says, somewhat sarcastically. I roll my eyes again and sit next to her. Gigi sits next to her mom, and Phoebe sits next to Gigi. "So. Since everyone is here, I believe we should start," says Phoebe's mother, looking at all of us. "What did you girls think of the first twenty chapters of Little Women?" She looks around the circle, as though she is daring someone to speak first. Her eyes land on me. "Megan! What about you? What did you think?" I fake a smile. "Uh, I thought it was very good, Mrs. Chadwick. The girls were really uh, interesting. My favourite character is Amy." She nods thoughtfully. "Okay. Anyone else? How about you, Lizzie?" Lizzie pales and looks down at her worn copy of Little Women. "Well," she says, "I thought it was very selfless that they bought those presents for Marmee and gave their breakfast to the Hummel's. It was a very nice gesture. I also like when the Mr. Laurence gives Beth the piano. Everyone is so nice!" She smiles at her mom. "That's wonderful," my mother pipes up. Mrs. Wong-Berkeley looks at her Burberry watch. "Sorry to cut this meeting down a little bit, but I, uh, have a shoot tomorrow at five a.m, and I was wondering if we could skip to the snacks and job discussion…" Phoebe's mom nods. "Ladies, I believe it is time for snacks!" The other moms cheer, along with Lizzie and Hope.

I show Renee my dress, and she presses it up against me. She eyes me critically. "You know, Megs, I don't think this dress is really for you," she says, eyeing the dress again. I frown. I thought the dress was perfectly radiant against my golden coloured hair! She takes the dress from me before I can say anything and says, "I know who this will look perfect on! Let me lend it to them, k?" I nod, unable to do anything else. Since the day I met her, Renee has pushed me around, and I need her to make me popular. Its kind of sad, but its what I have to do. I watch her take away my beautiful dress and stuff it into her Marc Jacobs backpack.

I am still thinking about my dress when the last class of the day comes. I'm just about to consider trying to get it back when someone whams into me from behind. "Ohmygod I'm so sorry Megan!" I whip my head around to see Hope standing there looking sheepish. "Oh, uh, its okay," I whisper back. She looks shocked for a second, but then nods. "Well, yeah, thanks. See you tomorrow then." She walks away. I watch her go, wondering if I made the right decision to be friends with Renee. I think of the dress again, with its billowing turquoise chiffon and tightly cinched waist. I sigh and look down at my binder. I pick it up and out falls a brochure for the dance. The girl in the picture is staring into the eyes of a dreamy looking boy and they are dancing under a moonlit sky. I really hope my dance will be perfect, even though I don't have the perfect outfit.

o0o

Hope's POV

Brring! Brrrrring! Brrrrrrrrrring! The phone rings and I jump off my bed. Maybe its Lizzie! We were planning on going shopping today with the boys to pick out outfits for the dance on Friday. It is one week away and I am totally nervous, to be completely honest. I race downstairs and pick up the phone, which is dangling off its cord on the edge of the table. "Hope! It's Liz!" I smile. I knew it. "Hey," I say into the mouthpiece. She tells me to put on something mall-worthy and meet her down the street in ten. I hang up the phone, holler to my mom that I am going out, and dash around my room frantically looking for an outfit to wear. I thumb through my one and only copy of Teen Vogue that I picked up yesterday and find the "Top 10 OOTD Ideas." I find a cute spring outfit: cargo pants, lace up sandals, and a crop top, which are things I actually have, and put them on. At the last minute, I brush my hair and put a little bit of mascara on. I grab my wallet, stuff it in my pocket, and head out the door, hopping on my bike as I leave my driveway.

"OMG!" I stop dead in the middle of the street. One pavestone away is Lizzie, looking really pretty in a short dress and keds. "Hi!" She calls to me. "Hey! You look nice," I tell her, and she smiles. "I tried, you know," she says back, eyeing my outfit. "You look nice as well." Now it is my turn to smile. "Uh, are the boys coming by any chance?" She nods, and points to a car that is turning onto our street right now. "David and Aiden are coming," she says, "as well as Jace and Alex." My eyes widen. The most popular guys are coming shopping with us. Us as in me and Lizzie, the two biggest dorks in all of the sixth grade.

We get out of the David's moms' car and head towards the entrance. "So, remind me why we are here again," says Jace, looking a little bit bored already. "Its so we can pick stuff for the dance," says Lizzie, looking nervously around. "We have to show Gigi that she was wrong," says Aiden confidently. We browse around for a bit, then wave the boys towards the arcade. Lizzie hands them $50. "Here," she says to Aiden. "You guys go and play some games and Hope and I will be back in 15 minutes after we find what we are looking for." He nods, and shows the money to the guys. They crowd into the arcade room and Lizzie and I head towards the Kate Spade store.

"What do you think?" Lizzie shows me a picture of a bright lemon tulle dress. I give her a thumbs-up. "That's definitely the one," I tell her, and look at the shoe section. We are in Nordstrom, and the shoe department is absolutely huge. "I'll find you some shoes to go with your dress." Lizzie nods, and hurries back to Kate Spade to buy the dress. I pick up shoe after shoe until I finally find a pair of kitten heels. I bring them to the register and ask to place a hold on them. Then, I go and find Lizzie, who is wearing a giant grin and holding a pink Kate Spade bag. "I found you some shoes!" She smiles excitedly. "Let's go!" I lead her back to the register, and the lady hands me the shoes. Lizzie tries them on and decides to buy them. I congratulate her on finding the perfect outfit then remember my own. We head back out into the mall.

"Hope, can we go now?" Lizzie looks anxiously at her watch. "The boys will be meeting us in 15 minutes so we can grab dinner." I sigh. I still haven't found the right outfit, and Lizzie is pressuring me to speed up. "Oh, ok," I snap. "Give me five minutes." She rolls her eyes and huffs, then goes back to helping me look. I rifle through dresses and skirts until a minute later I find the one! It is emerald and short, with a gathered ruffle. I decide I will borrow a pair of my moms kitten heels and purchase the dress. Lizzie claps excitedly. "We are going to look AWESOME at the dance next Friday!"

Lizzie heads towards La Bella Italiano, the restaurant where we are supposed to meet the boys. Lizzie spots Aiden and starts speed walking in his direction. I catch up to her, and we both stop in front of the boys. They are holding a couple shopping bags each. I smile. "Hey guys!" David smiles at me, and so does Jace, Alex, and Aiden, but secretly, I think Aiden is smiling at Lizzie. "We found stuff for the dance," Aiden says. Jace, Alex, and David hold up their bags. "Tux's. It took us roughly ten minutes, because we played games at the arcade for a long time," he admits sheepishly. Lizzie smiles at him. "We found dresses. Anyhow, lets eat! I'm sure everyone is hungry." We traipse into the restaurant to find Eva standing there, gasping for breath. "Hey guys! I just got your message. I'm sorry I bailed on shopping." I laugh and pat her on the back. "It's all g, Eva." She grins. "But I'm here now!" We all laugh this time, and together, we go to find a big table. Once we are seated, we start to have some fun.

o0o

Eva's POV

We are all clustered in Lizzie's living room, a warm fire lighting up the room. Even though it is springtime, the air still has a chill and Lizzie's home has no heating. We are gathered for an impromptu meeting of the Mother Daughter Book Club to discuss the book before everyone's schedules become busy again, as Lizzie's mom said. I shiver under my quilt and clutch my steaming hot chocolate. "Ok everyone," Lizzie's mom says, "As the year is coming to an end, I want you all to do a little reflection." We groan, even the other moms. Emma Chadwick sighs and looks at all of us. "Geez, everyone, it is not that bad. All I want us to do is to think back on what made book club fun, and then organize a party." We clap and smile. "See," she says, with a bit of a smirk on her face. Then her expression turns serious. "Ok, that aside, we really do need to talk about the book." She turns and looks at me. "Eva, what did you think of when Amy got to go with Aunt March instead of Jo?" I glower. "That part made me really mad," I say, frowning. "Jo should have gotten to go, she deserved it." Mrs. Chadwick looks at me thoughtfully. "Rightfully so, but Aunt March believed that Amy's temperament and talent were better than Jo's. What do you all think about this?" Lizzie starts saying what she thinks, and pretty soon everyone is chattering about whether or not Aunt March should have taken Amy.

After book club ends, I flop down on my bed and stare up at my ceiling. Then I grab my IPad and snuggle up to watch Netflix. As I am watching Victorious, my cell phone beeps. I pause the screen and glance down at my phone. Its David, and he is texting me for some reason. I hop up from under the covers and tiptoe towards his room. I push open the door. "Hey, what do you need me for?" He grins an evil grin. "I've found a way to make Renee and her crew sorry for all the mean things they've done." I smile, and sit down on the edge of his bed. "Tell me more." He gestures to a giant poster board on the floor lying face down. "This is the plan," he says. "Remember when I was pretending to be sick?" I nod, and wait for him to go on. "Well, I was secretly planning this epic takedown." I flip over the poster board. On it are polaroid snapshots of some girls who look very sleepy, with makeup running down their faces. "OMG David! Who are these people?" I crow. He smiles. "Renee, Phoebe, and Megan." I shake my head. No way. It cant be them! These girls look like a hot mess, and Renee and her crew look like Barbie knockoffs. He grins again. "That is where you are wrong, Eva. It is them! I have a few insider people with cameras." I smile, and start texting the rest of my friends.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Cries Aiden the next day. "This will be a perfect plan." I nod. Then Lizzie pipes up. "Won't we all get in serious trouble?" She whispers, looking a little bit paler in the face. "Nah," I say, confidently. First of all, how will the moms ever know? None of us hangs out with the B Crew anyways! "Just think of it like Jo would. She was never scared, was she?" Lizzie looks thoughtful for a moment. "No." Then she grins. "I've always wanted to be daring like Jo. Let's do it!" Aiden smiles at her, and she blushes. I stare at them for a few seconds and then move away to talk to the others. Everyone likes David's plan, and later, we all agree to meet at the Louisa May Alcott Orchard House for an educational and fun trip. The boys just agree to go along even though I know they hate Little Women.

I grab my backpack and lock my locker. It is the end of the day, and I have to catch the bus to Orchard House. Just as I am nearing the doors, Alex cuts me off. "Hey," he says, sort of nonchalantly. "Hi." "I was wondering if Jace and I could come to Orchard House with you." I think about this for a second. "Ok. If you bring snacks." He grins. "Snacks are our specialty." I grin, and wave goodbye. Then I run as fast as I can to the bus stop. I scramble on, and find a seat next to Hope. They say hi, and I fill them in on the current event. "Ooh! Alex likes you," Hope says, then covers her mouth. She looks panic stricken and stares behind me. I turn around to see Renee there, a warning look on her face. "Back off," she snarls. "The Hotties like me, and they will never like you." I scrunch my face in confusion. She rolls her eyes. "You know. Alex, Jace, Aiden, David." I grimace. "First of all, two of them are related to me," I say, rolling my eyes for a change. "Second of all, nobody refers to them as the hotties." She flips her hair. "Whatever, loser. Just back off, k?" I shrug and turn back to Hope. She is still panic stricken. Wow, some people are just really afraid of Renee! I give her a hug, and by the time we reach Orchard House, she is calm again. As we sit under the willowy tree and listen to the birds hum, I feel peaceful. Something is calming about Hope, and I really want to become better friends with her.

o0o

Gigi's P.O.V

I see Eva and Hope race out of the bus towards Orchard House and something sinks in my stomach. They are always hanging out together, and for a second, I feel hurt. Then, that feeling passes away. I remember that I need Renee to get me through the dance. And to help me be popular, which is something my mom used to be. This doesn't mean I can't spy on them though, so I tap my mom on the shoulder. "What do you need, honey?" She asks, her eyes glued to the road. "Uh, can we maybe make a quick detour at Orchard House?" She shakes her head. "Sorry, hon, but your brother is going to meet with some friends there and they rented out the place. If you want to go you will have to ask him." I groan. She frowns at me through the mirror. "Are you okay?" I smile at her. "Yeah, it's ok. I have to get ready for the dance anyways. It is this Friday after all." She smiles back at me. "Of course. Maybe I'll come to your room later and help you."

Brrrrrrrriiiiiiinnnnnnng! My phone starts to ring, and I glance up from the magazine I am reading. I answer it. "Hey Gigi!" I smile. It's Megan. I wonder what she wants. "Listen. Lately I've been thinking about a few things and I need your help. Renee stole my dress and gave me an ugly one, and I was wondering if you could help me make a new one." She falters. I breathe in and out a few times. Going against Renee could put me in a seriously fatal position. I mean, with a few wrong doings against me already, Renee could kick me out of the B Crew for good. Making the dress would be like a crime. "Are you there?" Megan asks, clearly getting impatient. "Uh, yeah," I say, picking on the thread of my blanket. "So can you help me?" I really don't want to let her down, so I tell her yes, and she promptly hangs up. I throw my phone down on my bed and sob into my pillow. How will I do this? How will I be able to make this dress and still hold my spot in the B Crew?


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: This is close to the ending of the first book. Still the eagerly awaited dance to come though! Thanks for reading:))**

 **This chapter is dedicated to SMILES180 3**

o0o

Lizzie's P.O.V

I spot Eva and Hope sitting under the willow tree, so I hope off my bike and walk over in their direction. "Hey," they call, getting up and coming to hug me. "Hey!" We sit around and chat for a bit, and then wait for the boys to come. "Seriously. They take so long!" Hope exclaims after a while. I nod, and lay down on the soft grass. Eva sweeps her dark hair off her face and fans her neck. "It's so hot! I wish we had time to change out of our uniforms." I nod. We probably had the time if we had known that the boys were going to be late. We sit there grumpy and hot for what seems like ages until finally, we see Aiden and David trudging up the hill.

"Hey!" Aiden waves to me. "Sorry we're late. We had to pick up some snacks." Eva grins when she sees Jace and Alex behind them. "Apparently Eva told those two that snacks would be mandatory." She grins again. Aiden rolls his eyes at her, and she sticks out her tongue playfully. The boys set down chips and dip, and we all dig in. "K guys. Just so you all know. We are here for Orchard House." The boys nod their heads grumpily. Jace grins. "So. I heard about the plan to take down Renee. I'm so in." We all nod enthusiastically. To be truthful, though, I'm not too sure about the whole polaroid plan. It seems risky to me, and I do not want to get in trouble. Hope notices my worried look and nudges me. "Everything will be okay," she whispers. I nod, but am still not certain.

Time passes, and soon we decide to go inside Orchard House. I look around at all the cool Louisa May Alcott displays and artifacts and run a part of a wedding dress through my fingers. This little room is brimming with history! I smile at Hope, but she is too busy looking around to notice. Just then, Aiden sidles up to me. "So, who's this author?" He says, looking around. "Oh, just the writer of a book we're reading in book club." He nods. We walk around for a bit more, and then Hope fishes out Little Women from her backpack. We all cluster around her as she reads the last chapter. At the end, everyone is quiet, even the boys. Even though they don't know what happened at the beginning, or middle, or even the end, they are paying attention. Sometimes books do that, and something about being in this little room dedicated to Louisa, while reading her book, is something special. The moment is totally ruined though, when Jace stands up and stretches. I glance at Eva and she bursts out laughing. Boys! I shake my head, then let out a laugh and stand up. Some things never really do change.

o0o

Megan's P.O.V

After my call with Gigi, I feel a whole lot better. For starters, my dress problems will be solved. Secondly, I just received the new issue of TeenVogue. I scan through it for dress ideas, until my eyes land on the perfect one. It is gorgeous, with a little gather at the top and a row of ruffles and a shine dusted over it. As soon as I see it, I know that it is the one for me. I call Gigi again and tell her I will email her a picture. After, I float around in my bedroom until dinnertime.

"Hey mom! I'm going for a walk," I call to my mom, as I head out the door. "Be safe sweetie!" She calls back. She goes back to her online shopping and I slip on my Kate Spade keds. I walk down the street and across the road until I reach Gigi's house. She told me to meet her there because she has a surprise for me. I unzip my sweater and ring her doorbell. Aiden answers, his perfect hair falling into his eyes. "Oh. It's you," he says, almost rudely. "Hey." I say, not finding a good comeback. He pushes back his hair. "Gigi's in her room," he states, and goes towards the kitchen, leaving me by myself in the doorway. I take off my shoes, gently close the door, and make my way upstairs towards Gigi's massive bedroom. The pale pink curtains swish as I open her door. "Hey!" She says, covering up something on the floor with a blanket. "Hey!" I say. "What's that?" I ask, curiosity swelling up inside me. "Oh nothing," she says casually. "JUST YOUR DRESS!" She then screams, ripping off the blanket. Below it is the dress! My dress! The very same one I saw in Teen Vogue! "GIGI YOU DID NOT!" I scream happily, hugging her. "It's gorgeous! How did you get it?" She smiles sneakily. "My mom knew someone, and I managed to get it for you." I beam at her, my eyes welling up with tears. "Gee, how will I ever be able to repay you?"

After about stating a million reasons why I do not need to repay her, Gigi wraps up my dress in pink tissue and puts it in a shopping bag for me. We go down to the kitchen, and her mom hands us each a frothy glass of lemonade. Aiden is standing there, looking at Gigi weirdly. I wonder what his deal is. Gigi and I go outside to the back porch and sit there for a while. "You know, sometimes I feel like Renee is sort of mean," she says, all of a sudden. I take a small sideways glance at her. "Yeah." I mumble. She runs her hand against the chair nervously. "Sometimes, I think she controls us too much, don't you think Megs?" I nod slowly. I don't even know what Gigi is getting at, but deep down, I know she's right. Maybe it's time for a change.

o0o

Hope's P.O.V

The dance is tomorrow. I feel so nervous. After we sorted out that we were going to be going as one big group, my nerves briefly calmed down. Now, however, they are bouncing up and down in my stomach like giant butterflies. What id our plan doesn't work! What if we get into loads of trouble? David assured me nothing bad was going to happen, and I really want to believe him, but I somehow just can't. Lizzie has been adding extra stress as well, pressuring me to go makeup shopping, and even booking us a nail appointment tomorrow right after school. As I step on the bus, I try to push all these thoughts out of my head, and find an empty seat. Renee taps me on the shoulder. "Hope, I think there's something on your seat," she says nastily. I look down, suspiciously, and find that I have sat down on a puddle of what appears to be jam. "Its sticky," she adds, just for good measure. Angry all of a sudden, I whip my head around and glare at her. "Why do you have to be so mean all of the time? None of the boys like you anyways, if that is what you were thinking." The rest of the bus ride is silent, and I try and rub the sticky substance off of my jeans.

The first bell rings and I dart into class. "People are looking at you funny," states Lizzie, quietly. "I know," I whisper back, a little bit annoyed. "Its not my fault I have to wear this hideous skirt. It was the only thing in the lost and found." Lizzie shrugs. We find our seats. Megan snickers, two desks down. "Hope. What happened?" She fakes sincerity. I glower. "Oh, did somebody have a little fashion crisis at home?" She giggles, and Phoebe and Renee laugh with her. I slump further down in my seat. This day is shaping out to be very bad.

Two classes later, and lunch just around the corner, I head to my locker and angrily twirl my combination. All of my teachers gave me mountains of homework, and to top it off, the raggedy old skirt is trailing on the ground now, having been ripped by Renee. I stuff my books into my locker and slam the door. Sulkily, I head to the cafeteria and join my friends at our usual table. The boys look up when they see me. Jace suppresses laughter while David and Aiden try not to grin. "I know my outfit is ridiculous but we have more important things to discuss," I tell them firmly. David nods. "Sorry. Your skirt is just so ugly." The other boys nod as well. "Renee is so stupid," Eva says, sitting down in an empty chair. "She should just back off," says Lizzie, who takes a seat next to her. I nod in agreement. Renee has been bullying pretty much everyone who crosses her path since she came to our school. I take a bite out of my tuna noodle casserole and glance around the table. Everyone seems excited, and I figure it is because the dance is tomorrow. "So," Lizzie, says, ruining my train of thought. "The dance is tomorrow. Boys, you have your stuff right?" They nod. "Good. Girls, we are getting manicures and our makeup done tomorrow at four." I nod, along with Eva. She clasps her hands together. "It's going to be perfect! The B Crew will get what they deserve." The boys grin and raise their cartons of milk in cheers. I feel much better after lunch, and through my next classes, I ignore Renee completely.

The bus ride home is long and I try and block out Renee, who is angrily whispering to Megan and Phoebe. When I finally get home, my mom is waiting for me in the kitchen, a plate of cookies in front of her. "Hey honey," she says. "I baked some cookies. We have the last book club meeting of the year today." I grin at her. That is something I'm looking forward too. Little Women turned out to be a really great book! She smiles back. "I also remember that it is your very first dance tomorrow!" I smile shyly. "Yeah." She hands me a cookie. "My first dance was so much fun. Except Emma, Lizzie's mom, thought that I was trying to steal a boy she liked." I laugh a little bit. I hope no one will go for the guy I like, not that I know if I actually like him or not. "So, do you have your dress all picked out?" I nod, and flick some cookie crumbs off the table. She smiles even bigger. "Can I see it?" Wow. My mom is acting like she's in middle school. I nod, though, because this is kind of fun, and head to my room to find the box from the mall.

"The dress is gorgeous, Hope!" My mom runs her hand over the emerald fabric one last time. Her face lights up once again. "I have the perfect shoes you can wear!" She hops up and runs down the hallway, bumping into my dad along the way. "Out of my way, Darcy," she cries, heading for her shoe closet. My dad laughs and pops his head into my doorway. "Hey," he says. "Is that your dress for the dance tomorrow?" I nod. He grins. "Ha! I remember that dance. It was your mom's first dance. She looked gorgeous of course, but I remember I danced with Megan Berkeley because she had helped my sister." I smile. My parents are so weird! He waves and walks down the hallway, probably to go watch some historical documentary. My mom returns one minute later, holding a box wrapped in purple tissue paper. "I was saving this for a birthday present for you, but I'll just get you a different gift," she says, holding the box out towards me. I pull on the ribbon and the paper falls to the floor. I lift the lid of the shoe- box and find the most beautiful heels I have ever seen. They are gold with tiny green flowers, and a two-inch heel! I throw them on my bed and hug my mom! "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

o0o

Eva's POV

Everyone is crowded into my living room, where the lights have been turned down and scented candles flicker. "Wow. What a year," someone's mom says, presumably Lizzie's and Hope's. I sniff the air, and a waft of freshly baked cookies and lavender fills my nose. "It sure smells good," I note. My mom laughs. "She's just like me!" I grin. Like my mother, I do have an appetite. Lizzie's mom reaches into her purse and fishes out a couple of papers. "So, why don't we begin while your lovely mother grabs the tray of sweets?" I nod. She reads the papers to us, a short article about Louisa May Alcott. When my mother returns, both hands filled with trays loaded to the brim with treats, Lizzie's mom has moved on to discuss the final chapters of the book. Or argue, really. About half of us think that Jo should have married Laurie, and the other half like Mr. Bhaer. I personally liked Laurie. He matched Jo. Time passes, and we continue to discuss Little Women.

"I still think Laurie belongs with Mr. Bhaer," Lizzie says, rifling through her book. Laurie was a flirt. Mr. Bhaer was nice and kind. Very caring." I roll my eyes. "Come on! Laurie was fun! And he was cute!" Lizzie snorts. "Of course," she says sarcastically. "Cute." The moms laugh. I reach for a macaron and argue with Lizzie some more. Everyone else around us are still arguing as well, and I feel sort of happy about that. At least we are arguing about a book and not boys or whatever. Life is actually so complicated when boys get into the picture. They add confusion into our lives, I swear. Eventually, though, I give up and let Lizzie yabber on. The night deepens quickly, and soon it is ten thirty. "Oh my goodness," my mom exclaims. "You girls all need to catch some sleep! The dance is tomorrow and you don't want to look all tired." We all nod, sleepily. She starts waving everybody out. "I'll clean everything up! Now go home and catch some rest, all of you." The moms laugh some more, but finally, everyone leaves. My mom sends me upstairs and kisses me goodnight. My head reaches my pillow, and I drift off into a deep sleep.

The dance is today. I jump up out of bed and run to my closet. I don't know why, but something is telling me to dress nicer today. I find a cute romper and put it on, pairing it with a pair of Keds and a long sweater. I grab a bagel and race for the bus. Hope and Lizzie greet me with huge smiles on their faces. "The dance is today," Lizzie crows. Hope and I grin. The prank is going to be epic! Butterflies float in my stomach all day, and by the time the final bell rings, I am bouncing up and down in my chair with excitement. Lizzie nudges me and holds her hand out. "Mani time!" I grin at her. "I still haven't picked out my colour yet!" Together we leave Period 8 Math and race down the hallway to find her moms car in the parking lot.

o0o

Gigi's POV

I watch Lizzie and Hope rush out the double doors in a flurry, their braids flying behind them. I wonder if they are going to prep for the dance. I sigh and look down at my phone. It's Renee. Again. She's been calling me ever since lunch, when I played hooky and ate lunch in the library. Hesitantly, I swipe left. "Gigi omg I thought you were dead," comes Renee's high-pitched voice on the other end. "You, like, didn't show up for lunch." She pauses. "We got kinda stressed, because you know that today is the dance, right? And we totally need to get ready. Pheebs, Megs, and I are waiting for you. Get your butt to my car asap." I frown, hit cancel, and start walking to her mom's shiny blue convertible.

I pull my red dress over my head and zip up the back. I do one little twirl and smile. This dress is perfect! With its v-neck and crossed straps, it is both flirty and dressy. My mom really helped me a lot, especially with sewing and such. I am back in my room now, getting ready for the dance until seven, when Renee is picking us all up in a limo. I head to my bathroom and do my makeup. I add a little sparkle using my new glitter powder, and wrap a bracelet around my wrist. Slipping into my wedges, I feel really fancy and magical. I guess that since I've never been to a dance before, it feels kind of special. My mom walks up the stairs, and when she sees me, she places one tanned hand over her heart. "My goodness, you are gorgeous," she says. "And I love your dress. I wonder who made it," she notes teasingly. I grin at her. "Thanks mom!" She pats down my hair. "Listen, Gigi, have fun tonight. Go wild, dance with some boys!" I smile. I hope so. She tells me to go help Aiden if he needs it, and then she heads to her fashion room, probably to design something amazing.

Aiden slams the door in my face. "Uh, no, I don't need any help getting ready," he scowls. I roll my eyes. "I just offered to help because mom told me to," I yell back. A minute later, he opens the door again, this time standing in a dress shirt and black pants. He looks great, as usual, and I have to stop myself from saying something nice. "How do I look," he smirks, knowing he looks good. "Passable," I sniff, and walk back into my room. I hear his laughter down the hallway, and I sit on my bed. Maybe I made the wrong decision tonight. Maybe I should have never rejoined the B Crew again. I slip my feet into my black heels and step in front of the mirror. I look at myself carefully. I look great, feel great, and I don't care about anyone but the B Crew. They are what I need to keep my popularity. I flip my hair once and grin. All of my previous thoughts fly out of my head and I smile at the confident girl in the mirror staring back at me.


	6. Chapter 6 (The FINAL chapter)

**A/N: Hey, guys. This is the last, and final chapter of The MDBC: The Second Half. I truly enjoyed writing it, even though it was a while ago. I hope you guys enjoyed.**

 **GOOD NEWS: A second instalment is coming, along with the one-shot contest. Sneak peeks for the second instalment will be posted as a separate chapter after this.**

 **Thanks for sticking with me! xx, Fangurl02**

o0o

Lizzie's P.O.V

It is five thirty. I am in my bedroom pacing around. My mom has popped her head in my room a couple of times, and she keeps on asking me if I need help. I've waved her off every single time. Now, Hope is in the bathroom putting on her dress, and I am waiting to see her. I am so nervous! The dance is in a couple of hours and I'm really worried our prank is going to go wrong or somehow backfire. As I am thinking, Hope dashes out of the bathroom, her emerald dress flowing with her. She slips her feet into her gold heels, and I grin at her. "You look so pretty, Hope," I exclaim. She twirls for me. "This really is my dream dress," she says with a smile. I nod. It really is. Then, she shoves me. "Put on your dress! I want to see it." I roll my eyes, but gamely get it from my closet and head to the bathroom. The dress is amazing. The lemon colour goes perfectly with my chestnut hair, and it brings out the tiny golden flecks in my eyes, the two things I actually like about myself. I put on my kitten heels and smile at myself in the mirror.

"Lizzie!" I hear a scream from across the hall. I groan. It's Phoebe. Again. She has been calling me to her room since I got home today, and she won't relent. "I need you to help me lace up my dress." I walk to her room, and her smirk-like smile falters when she sees me. "Oh, you don't look as bad as I thought you would," she says matter-of-factly. I glance at her dress. It is really low and short, and I am amazed my mom would even let her buy it in the first place. I tie up the back and quickly leave, leaving her standing in the middle of her room with a sour expression on her face. I swipe one manicured hand through my hair, and make sure that the curls Hope did are still in tact. Hope grins when she sees me. "Well don't you look pretty as well," she smiles. We inspect each other. Everything looks amazing, and we look at ourselves in the mirror. Hope slips one hand around my neck. "Best friends forever?" I nod. "Best friends forever."

o0o

Megan's P.O.V

The midnight blue swirls around me, as I jump off my bed and onto my soft sheepskin rug. "Megan! Show me what your dress looks like!" My mom yells at me from down the stairs. "Ok. Come on up!" She appears in my room about two seconds later. She grins widely, her pearly white teeth showing. "Oh my goodness! Is that the dress that was in Teen Vogue? Oh Megs, they did a special issue on it!" I nod, excitement growing from my toes up. I get a weird tingly feeling inside, almost like excitement and nervousness all at the same time. "Gigi got it for me," I say proudly. My mom places her hands on her hips. She eyes me critically. "It looks great," she says with a stamp of approval. "Now, I've got just the shoes to go with it." I smile. My mom has the best collection of shoes anybody has ever seen. Except maybe for Gigi's mom. I follow her out of my bedroom to her massive shoe closet, and wait for her as she pulls box after box off the white-papered shelves.

The doorbell rings just as I am putting the finishing touches of my makeup on. "Megan, your friends are here," calls my mom. "One sec," I cry, and wipe a flash of mascara on my eyelashes, which are actually long enough not to need it, but I do it anyways. I slip on the sparkly heels that my mom has lent me, and grab my new Megan Rose clutch. The jewels on it match my dress perfectly. Looking at myself once more in the mirror, I fluff my hair and walk down the stairs, trying not to trip in the heels. My mom greets me at the bottom of the stairs. "Honey, have fun tonight." Love brims in her eyes. "Wow. Your first dance. Make it special!" She kisses me on the cheek and waves goodbye. "Your friends are in the lime," she says with a smile. I wave back, and rush out the door to the sleek black limousine waiting for me on the driveway.

I can't believe what I am seeing. Renee Reynald is wearing MY DRESS. The very one she took away because she said she knew someone who would look better in it than me. I didn't know she meant herself. I feel like screaming. I shoot her a glare, and she shoots a look back. A look that says, "too bad, too sad." Then she notices my dress. Her eyes flicker in recognition. I nod smugly back. My turquoise dress, no matter how pretty I thought, or still think it is, could never compare to something straight out of the pages of a magazine. Renee scowls at me, and says, "Wow, where did you find that dress? The dump?" She pulls at the hem of her dress. I smile at her. "No. For your information, this is from the Teen Vogue HQ." She looks impressed for a second, but her hard look reappears. She rolls her eyes. I turn to look at Gigi and Phoebe for a second, who are both looking at their phones. Phoebe is calm, while Megan isis worriedly gazing at her phone. "Hey Gigi," I smile at her. She smiles a tentative smile back. "Does she know?" She mouths at me, while pointing at Renee. I shake my head. Gigi smiles with relief. The rest of the limo ride is rather silent, and the only thing I do is grab a sparkling Perrier from the little fridge, thinking that my night could use a lot more sparkle.

Loud music echoes through the hallways of Walden Middle School. Renee grabs Gigi, who grabs me, and the three of us head towards the photo booth to take our welcome photo. The camera guy positions us and tells us to grab any props we like from the little bin. I reach my hand in to fish for a prop but Renee pulls it out. "Props are tacky," she whispers harshly, and instructs me to pose with one hand on my hip. She and Gigi do the same. The camera guy rolls his eyes and snaps a single pic. It comes out as a polaroid shot, and he hands it to Renee, who stashes it in her clutch. Gigi squeals after we leave the photo booth. "OMG our first dance!" She heads over to the refreshments table, where a lot of boys are hanging out. Soon, someone asks her to dance, and as the music swells, I gaze out into the crowd of faces, watching her and Renee dance along with the beat.

o0o

Hope's P.O.V

We are in David and Eva's moms' car, driving to the dance. Somehow, Lizzie, Aiden, David, Eva, Jace, Alex, and I are all crammed in. Granted, it's a little bit tight, and everybody is sort of sitting on each other, but it is a seven-seater. That is including the drivers seat, though, so we have one person too many. Actually two, since the twins dog Coconut, is sitting in the passenger seat. I'm pretty sure we are breaking a lot of driving rules, but it's fun, anyways. I am squished in-between Lizzie and David. In the back set of seats, Eva is squished in-between her brother and Alex, with Jace taking up what looks to be one whole seat by himself. Everyone chats, and by the time we get there, we are happy and excited. We head inside to Walden, and take our group photo at the photo booth. We use plenty of props, and even do a fun shot where we lift Eva above our heads. The camera guy hands me two polaroids after, and I remember our plan as I put them in my pocket.

I whip my phone out and catch a great picture of Lizzie, David, Aiden, Eva, Jace, Alex, and I dancing. We look happy and like we are having fun. Which is true, because so far, the dance has been so much fun. I look around at the group. "This is so fun," Lizzie murmurs to me, as Aidan spins her around. I laugh, then notice that David is holding two cups of punch right in front of me. "Want some?" He says, handing me a glass. I grin at him, and we clink our solo cups together in a cheers. "To dances," I say. "To dances."

David nods at me from his place at the refreshments table. "The plan is nearly a go," says Lizzie beside me. "Roger that," says Aiden, who has snuck up behind us. Lizzie screams a little bit and he laughs. David signals at me. I nudge Lizzie and Aiden. We look up at the ceiling, and soon enough, hundreds of polaroid copies float down from the high rafters. The next few minutes are an absolute blur. People all around us are grabbing at them and looking at them, and soon the gym erupts with laughter. I see Gigi standing a few paces away, tears welling in her eyes. I start to feel bad for her, and look down. When I look up again, she is gone, and standing in her place is Ms. Millie, our principal. She glares at me, and beckons for me to come to her. I look around for my other accomplices but nobody is there. I fish my phone out of my pocket and look at the screen. 1 new message, it says. I click open, and read it. Hope! Come quickly to the performance room! We are gathering there. Don't let Ms. M catch u! I groan. Too late. The other students are back to dancing, but as I walk towards Ms. M, I notice Gigi, Megan, and Renee have disappeared from where they were before. As I reach her, she grabs my arm coolly and starts pulling me away from the dance. Judging by the glare in her eyes, I know that I will be in a serious amount of trouble.

 **AND IT'S DONE! :) xx**


	7. Additional (Please Read)

**Hi, hello, hey!**

 **Here is the information regarding the second instalment of this series.**

-Will Hope get in trouble? And will her true friends stand stick by her side and take blame?

-Will Gigi stay with the B Crew?

-What new romances are in store for the girls?

-The Book Club will be getting a new makeover! Uh-oh!

-What friendships will be tested?

Find out more in… **The Second Half: Two Times the Trouble**

o0o

 **Chapter One (Sneak Peek: Lizzie's POV)**

I feel terrible about Hope's predicament. After the dance fiasco at the end of June, her parents grounded her for a month, and she isn't allowed to talk to any of us at the moment. To top it off, she had to apologize to Renee, Phoebe, Megan, and Gigi. We got in trouble too, of course, because we admitted what we did, but poor Hope got into the deepest waters. David felt terrible, and offered to have the month long grounding instead, but Hope's mom said no. For the rest of our groups punishment, we had to apologize together to the girls, as well as collect money to buy them one thing they wanted. They could choose, as long as the range of price was between two-hundred and four-hundred dollars. They decided on a clothing gift card. To pay for this, I am walking dogs, Aiden is babysitting, David is selling lemonade with Eva, and Jace and Alex are building a playground. So far, the punishment has not been so bad. I love dogs, and the ones I've looked after are so sweet and docile. Aside from that, the rest of our group besides Hope are not grounded, so we meet up in our spare time and do fun things. So far, we have gone out for ice cream, played Frisbee in the park, and played lots of tag games. I am still thinking about our group when my mom calls me down to dinner. "Coming," I call back, then flop on my bed once more. I still can't believe I'm part of a group, especially one with popular people in it. I jump off my bed and run down the stairs. My mom is in the kitchen, an apron tied around her waist. "Hey Lizzie! Come and set the table please." I smile at her and take the stack of plates and utensils she has left up. I set them on the table and go back for cups. I fill a pitcher with lemonade and add a fresh lemon. My mom smiles at me. "So, how's your punishment going so far?" She looks sternly at me. "It's going well. I've made at least fifty dollars so far." She gives me a thumbs up. "That's great. Don't get in trouble like that again, okay?" I nod at her, and the stern look fades. She opens the oven and takes out a chicken, perfectly cooked. She calls Phoebe and dad, and the four of us sit down to eat.

After dinner, I go to my room and text Hope. I tell her about everything everyone is doing to make this money, and send it. Then I stupidly realize that Hope won't even get to see it until after July is over. I groan inwardly and roll over on my bed. Then, I turn my phone on again and scroll through my messages until I reach Aiden Berkeley's number. I sigh. To be honest, I'm not sure how I feel about him right now. I'm only going into Grade 7, and crushes and stuff are all new for me. I send him a quick message asking about how much money he has made so far, and it only takes him a couple minutes to reply. It only ever takes him minutes to reply: he's totally addicted to his phone. I've made about $50 so far, wbu? I read his text and smile. Same here! He responds with a smiley face, and we chat for a bit. Then, I notice that he has requested a group face chat with our little group, and I click the accept button. It takes everyone else a few minutes to accept, but after a bit, we are all sitting in front of our phones talking. "Hey, does anyone know how Hope is doing?" Eva looks questioningly out at everyone. Jace shrugs, Alex shakes his head, David looks hopeful, Aiden holds up his hands, and I nod. "I do know how Hope is doing, actually." The rest of the group lights up, and they all look eagerly at their cameras. "She's doing okay. Holed up in her room, albeit, but okay. My mom talks to her mom like everyday. So far, it's been what… one week? Guys, we only have three more weeks left to make $400." The rest of the group groans. "Lizzie's right," says Aiden, nodding slowly. "Our punishment has a deadline. The deadline is the same as Hope's release." Eva smiles, looking excited. "Guys, so far David and I have made $100." She clasps her hands together excitedly, and then David, who is sitting next to her, smiles. "Yeah. We went door to door. I was surprised how many people wanted lemonade!" I laugh, happy that we at least have half the money already. "Well, that's great," Aiden says. "Lizzie and I have made $50 each, so if we add that to yours, we've already made half the needed." Wow. He read my mind. We're always on the same page. I smile, trying not to, but failing. David rolls his eyes, maybe seeing the expression on my face. "Okay dudes, but what about Jace and Alex? How are you guys doing?" Their faces fall onscreen, and they look down at their hands respectively. "The playground is going under," Alex whispers, and Jace nods his head, trying to look sad.

 **TTFN, guys! Will update soon:)**

 **Also, here is a list of the characters, just so there is no confusion.. a few people have asked me about this, and I apologize if I haven't already posted the chart... my bad!**

Elizabeth (Lizzie) and Phoebe are the daughters of: Emma Hawthorne and Stewart Chadwick

Hope is the daughter of: Jess Delaney and Darcy Hawthorne

Megan is the daughter of: Becca Chadwick and Theo Rochester

Eva and David are the children of: Cassidy Sloane and Tristan Berkeley

Gigi and Aiden are the children of: Megan Wong and Simon

Berkeley

Jace Norton is the son of: Zach Norton and his wife, Alexis

Renee is just a character who has parents.. Haha.

 **For extra clarification:**

Phoebe and Lizzie Chadwick are cousins to Hope Delaney and Megan Rochester.

Eva and David Berkeley are cousins to Aiden and Gigi Berkeley

Lizzie Chadwick has a crush on Aiden Berkeley

Eva Berkeley finds herself liking Alex, Jace's friend

Megan Rochester is similar to her mother in that she likes any good looking, breathing male specimen alive

Gigi has an eensy little crush on a certain Jace Norton...

David most probably likes Hope;)

Eva figure skates, and does not play hockey


	8. ONE SHOT

**This One-Shot is dedicated to SMILES180 for her lovely entry in the contest and her fun, chatty direct messages. Thank you for loving my story, and thanks for bei g supportive.**

 **i hope you find your today, tomorrow, and always.**

 **xx, Fangurl02**

 **~~~o0o~~~**

 **Jess POV**

I take a deep breath and smile into the audience. I'm surrounded by about a million people, and my head-to tell the truth- is spinning.

I am currently on a giant theatre stage, built by my very own Concord based supporters, for my final concert before I graduate University. Everyone decided to support me in my career as an animal care specialist, as well as my start to my organization: Hearts.

Even Mrs. Chadwick supported my dream of not following through with being a singer and instead working with animals. My organization, Hearts, is going to be announced this fall, and Darcy has volunteered to be my right hand man.

He's stuck through with me all this time, and I can't help but feel elated. I'm not sure how I became so lucky, or how Emma's handsome older brother took an interest in me. Me of all things!

i think about this as I open my mouth and begin to sing an aria.

~~~o0o~~~

It's been a full month since my last concert, and i feel nervous. I'm graduating tomorrow, and Darcy is flying out from Dartmouth to see me. He was there visiting an old history prof, because he is working towards a bachelor degree in history: something he has been dreaming about for years.

I sit on top of my worn, frayed suitcase and try to zip it up when my phone rings. It's Emma.

"Jess! Oh my goodness, it's so good to hear you! You'll never guess what happened!" She gushes, and I laugh and tell her to slow down.

"Sorry," she mumbles, "I'm just so excited to tell you the good news! Darcy is moving back to Concord!"

I fall off of my suitcase, completely and utterly stunned. What? He was planning on living in California somewhere: to see where his goals took him and to finish getting his bachelors!

"Are you should serious, Emma?" I cry into the phone, my heart hammering a million beats per second. The reason why I'm so excited is because I, too, am moving back to Concord, to start my business and work in my hometown.

"It's one hundred percent, bonafide true," she says, the excitement in her voice clearly sounding. My heart practically leaps out of my chest.

Darcy. Darcy will be living in the same place as me, through the duration of the time he said he was going to spend in LA. He won't only be there for my opening: he'll be there for everything.

As soon as I hang up with Emma, I fly onto my bed and grab the picture in the silver frame tucked neatly into my side drawer. It's of Darcy and I, on the day of my last concert.

We're standing, flinging out arms out and looking at each other, as thoughts ready for a hug. Class captured the moment in a shot, and presented me with a copy as an early graduation gift.

I miss him so much sometimes that it hurts. We both promised to stay in touch, and though we've both been true to our word, we haven't exactly been the perfect couple as of late. Between school and singing and football, we have barely had any time to discuss the future:hopefully our shared future.

Before I can tear up, though, or think about Darcy too much, I place the photo back in the drawer and smile to myself. I switch off the lights in my dorm room and snuggle down into my comforter.

The last thought that frequents my mind before I succumb to sleep is a wedding. A beautiful, white wedding, where Darcy is the groom and i am the bride.

 **Graduation Day, 11:30 am, Stage**

"Welcome to graduation," Mr. Prevense say as he looks out into the crowd. I fidget awkwardly in my seat, fixing my cap and gown surreptitiously.

Darcy couldn't make my grad. The plane he was going to catch couldn't leave the terminal due to a maintenance problem and the only flight out of Dartmouth was a seven pm flight: I told him not to bother coming.

He wouldn't get to see me graduate, but it's not even his fault, really. I turn my attention back to Mr. Prevense, who has begun calling names.

When he reaches me, the last student for some reason, I'm completely prepared for my short speech.

i actually walk up to the mic with confidence, something I've gained from endless performances, and smile.

"I'd like to say thank you to everyone who has helped me along on my journey. You've been there for me through my highs and my lows, and my Jo March moments. You all know who you are, and I'm so thrilled that I have been lucky enough to be a part of your story, even if I only make up a small section of a page. Keep on believing, and once we've all graduated, I want you to know that you can be amazing, if you just keep reaching for the stars every day."

The hall erupts with a whirlwind of clapping.

 **Concord, Darcy's Return, early fall.**

It's been a full three months, and I'm completely satisfied with every part of my life except one.

Darcy. The unknown factor in my math problem: the lone animal that I'm trying to find.

Its ts like somehow, that piece of my perfect puzzle is missing, and only because I haven't seen him for a long time and I don't know what is in store for us.

The tiny airport is bustling, rather strange for this time of year. Around me, a man hums La Vie En Rose, and I smile to myself.

Nothing like music to calm you down right before just about anything. It doesn't completely stop the elephants from romping around in my stomach, but it soothes me.

I wait outside gate 6a until finally, Darcy's plane lands, and the passengeres begin to unboard.

I count three, four, five people, until I see him.

The messy, gorgeous chocolate brown hair. The clean shaven, friendly face. The perfect jawline and dusky eyes. The crinkles around his mouth and the familiar scent, as I am picked up and swirled around in his firm embrace.

"Jess," he whispers. I can feel his breath in my hair, on my ear, as he slowly brings his lips to the side of my head and kisses down my cheek, until he finally finds my own lips.

I love Darcy's kisses, and i most certainly love him.

 **The Day Of, Walden Pond**

Darcy takes my hand and smiles one of his charming smiles that I've grown to love. Heck, I've probably loved it forever.

"Jess. I'm so proud of you," he says, gazing not at me, but st the pond, and the reflection of us. "You've done so many amazing things, with Hearts, with me, with your career. You're not only my girlfriend, but my inspiration too."

I almost feel a tear welling up in my right eye, but I try and blink it away. Darcy is being so sweet, and i have lost all means of speaking. This feels like something, and I can't quite wrap my head around it.

He tears his gaze from the pond and looks into my eyes.

"Follow me," he says, and tugs me over to a sunny patch of beautiful grass, the dew sparkling like little stars scattered on the earth.

Tiny, iridescent gems hang from the trees, and I turn to Darcy in awe.

"Darcy, did you do all this?" I gesture with a grin to my gorgeous surroundings. The gems shimmer in the early light of day, and make Darcy's smile seem even brighter as he grins and whistles softly.

Suddenly, two white, Sheltie puppies come bounding up to me, one with something in its tiny mouth. I've never seen these two cuties before, and I immediately drop down to my knees to pet them and fawn over them.

Darcy scoops up the sheltie with the item in its mouth and turns around. In all honesty, I'm a bit too distracted with my pup to even pay attention to what he's doing.

The next thing I know, Darcy is on one knee, holding a sliver box. The two shelties bark excitedly and flop down into the grass as I feel tears coming.

He couldn't, he isn't-

"Jess. I have known and loved you for more years than you'll ever know. At first, you were just a kid who was my dorky sisters best friend, but suddenly, you were much, much more. You were my everything. I fell in love with you for so many different reasons. Jess, you're kind, beautiful, smart, and such a loving person. You give yourself to everyone around you and never seem to tire.

Will you marry me?"

This is the moment where my heart stops beating. I gaze into Darcy's eyes, filled with love, tears pouring out of my own.

"Yes," I say. "Yes, yes, yes." I fling myself into his arms and he slips a gorgeous opal and diamond ring onto my left ring finger.

He tilts my head up with one hand and looks down at me lovingly.

"Will you be my today, tomorrow, and always?"

I don't even need to respond, because in the next moment my lips are on his and he and I are one.

I am beyond happy, and somewhere, deep down in my heart, a symphony is playing, working its way through my entire body.

 **The End**

 **I hope you enjoyed this one-shot, everyone, and SMILES180 especially.**

 **xx**


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